KC Weddings .net - Diamond Buying 101

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Diamond Buying 101 :: Color

Acting as a prism, a diamond can divide light into a spectrum of colors and reflect this light as colorful flashes called fire. Just as when looking through colored glass, color in a diamond will act as a filter, and will diminish the spectrum of color emitted. The less color in a diamond, the more colorful the fire, and the better the color grade.

D: Absolutely colorless. The highest color grade, which is extremely rare.

E: Colorless. Only minute traces of color can be detected by an expert gemologist. A rare diamond.

F: Colorless. Slight color detected by an expert gemologist, but still considered a "colorless" grade. A high-quality diamond.

G-H: Near-colorless. Color noticeable when compared to diamonds of better grades, but these grades offer excellent value.

I-J: Near-colorless. Color slightly detectable. An excellent value.

K-Z: If you take our advice, and purchase your engagement ring from Blue Nile, then don't worry about these colors. Blue Nile doesn't even sell them.

Diamond Color Like It Should Be

At Blue Nile, you'll find only the finest diamonds with color graded D-J. Diamonds graded better than J are colorless or near-colorless — their color is typically undetectable to the unaided eye.

The color in diamonds graded K-Z detracts from the beauty of a diamond. It's especially noticeable set in platinum or white gold.

A Note on Fluorescence

Related to, but not affecting diamond color, fluorescence is a unique effect that causes a diamond to produce a slight blue glow when exposed to intense, direct ultraviolet light. Some people seek diamonds that produce this unique effect, while others definitely avoid it — it's purely a matter of taste.

What Color Grade is Best?

For the purist, look for a colorless diamond with a grade of D-F and a fluorescence rating of faint, inert, none, or negligible.

For an excellent value in a diamond with no noticeable color to the unaided eye, look for a near-colorless grade of G-I, and a fluorescence grade of medium or strong blue.

Or, if you'd rather not compromise on color but would like to stay on budget, choose a diamond with a good cut, SI1–SI2 clarity, and consider going with a strong fluorescence. It will still be beautiful to the unaided eye and you may prefer the unique effect of a strong fluorescence.

For more information on color grade, visit the experts at Blue Nile.

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